The present invention relates generally to a child-proof receptacle for storing relatively small objects to be retained within the receptacle without access by a small child.
Small children, such as infants, have a propensity to place objects in their mouth including small objects which can lodge in the throat or be swallowed with obviously severe consequences. Parents or other child care givers must either closely monitor the child during play or be certain to remove all objects out of the child""s reach. There is thus a clear need for some article or apparatus that would retain the small dangerous objects so as to be inaccessible to small children yet enable children to play with larger objects that are of less concern to be swallowed.
The present invention is directed to a child-proof storage receptacle comprising a canister, preferably cylindrically-shaped similar in exterior appearance to a waste basket, having a bottom wall or surface that may rest on a floor or other support and having an open top to receive an insert. An insert having a downwardly inclined region such as a funnel-shaped insert is placed within the canister and is detachably secured or locked to the canister adjacent the open top in a child-proof manner. That is, the insert is locked to the canister sufficiently secure so that a small child cannot separate or remove the funnel-shaped insert from the canister and thus have access to the canister interior which receives the objects to be stored out of harm""s way. The preferably funnel-shaped insert tapers to an opening sized to receive the objects that are to be retained within the canister. That is, small objects that are sized to freely pass through the opening, when deposited in the insert, will fall down the insert, through the opening and into the canister to be captured within the canister. A child will be unable to put his or her hand through the opening to retrieve the small object and thus the child will be safe from swallowing the object.
The funnel-shaped insert includes a substantially cylindrically-shaped integral extension from the edge of the opening extending downward into the canister interior. The free end of the extension may be angled to define an angled planar opening facing the canister interior.
The invention includes several distinct embodiments as will be described. In at least one embodiment, the funnel-shaped insert opening remains open even when the storage receptacle canister is inverted. When inverted, there is a remote potential that the small objects could fall out of the opening. However, the canister and insert geometry of this embodiment can be designed to minimize such occurrence. Steps can also be taken to ensure that the lifting of the receptacle by a small child is remote. For example, the receptacle may be constructed to be relatively heavy compared to the strength of a small child and of a particular size that makes the grasping and turning the receptacle over for shaking extremely remote.
In this first embodiment, the storage receptacle includes a plate that is positioned within the canister, spaced below the insert opening, and above the canister bottom wall, so as to intercept objects deposited into the insert that then roll or fall downwardly and pass through the opening. The plate is preferably flat, i.e. planar, and is angled or inclined relative to the major axis of the insert. The plate preferably has a circular perimeter that includes a lip that extends in an upward direction. The plate also includes raised indentations or rod-like elements to act as ramps for the small objects to jump over the lip as well as some raised projections to create obstacles to change the trajectory of the small objects and to assist the objects to fall into the canister.
The plate is preferably of a predetermined diameter and is positioned a predetermined distance below the funnel-shaped insert opening and the lip is of a predetermined dimension so as to retain relatively larger elongated objects so that they extend out from the opening into the insert area so that such elongated objects may be grasped by a child. That is, the elongated objects will not fall completely through the opening. Similarly, the plate is inclined or angled with respect to the major axis of the insert so as to enable those objects that are to be retained within the canister to fall down the plate at a sufficient velocity so as to jump over the lip. By adjusting the size of the opening, the height of the substantially cylindrical extension of the insert, the free-end angle of the extension, the position and diameter of the plate and its orientation, the height of the lip, and other variables to be described, the child-proof receptacle can be designed so that objects of a predetermined relatively small size will fall through the opening and be captured within the canister, whereas relatively large sized objects will be retained in the insert, and where objects of relatively elongated configuration can be retained by the plate and extend outward from the opening into the insert so as to be retrievable by a parent.
In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the circular plate is eliminated in its entirety and the insert, preferably conical or funnel-shaped, includes a cap or flap positioned adjacent the free end of the substantially cylindrical extension which automatically closes the opening defined by the free end when the canister is inverted. Two distinct embodiments are described including one embodiment where the flap seats on the free end opening by a spring-loaded mechanism and another embodiment where the flap seats on the opening solely by the force of gravity when the canister is inverted. In each of these embodiments, small objects within the canister cannot be removed from the canister by simply inverting and shaking the canister since doing so will seal off the opening. In each of these embodiments, elongated objects will not be retained to extend outwardly from the opening into the insert so as to be retrievable.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a child-proof receptacle to secure, confine, and capture small objects that are intended to be kept inaccessible to a small child so as to prevent the child from swallowing the objects. It is an object of the invention to provide a receptacle that permits the small undesirable objects to be captured away from the child, yet will allow larger objects to be maintained accessible to the child. In one embodiment, elongated objects, such as crayons or pencils, can be retained in an accessible position whereas smaller objects, such as marbles, crayon pieces, etc. will be captured within the receptacle. It is a further object of the present invention to provide the child-proof receptacle accessible to an adult for unlocking and disassembly to remove the captured objects from the canister interior.
These and other features of the present invention will become better understood with respect to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.